A Collection of Tangible Theory Instruments for Design Anthropology

We propose Theory Instruments, a novel kind of tangible tool, to bring perspective shifts and new vocabulary into design projects and organisations. They aim to bridge disciplinary gaps among practitioners. In this pictorial, we present six Theory Instruments with instructions in cutouts, so practitioners can put them into action. To test the Theory Instruments, we conducted workshops with ten companies from various sectors. With the tangibles, practitioners investigated the interconnectedness of their products, the use contexts, and user experiences. They also unfolded internal interaction design practices. We contribute to Design Anthropology by mapping anthropological theories onto material structures that increase sensitivity to human practices.